I think Memphis is HOPING they don't lose him, and saying the right things might make teams think twice about offering him a contract, but I just have a hunch that if someone overpays Gasol, they won't match. They're struggling in attendance and losing money and will already have a couple of 8 figure contracts. Again, it's just a hunch.

There's a new CBA coming. You're assuming a lot. I'll take their word for it because if they want to win it makes sense that they need to keep him. Not to mention they have no candidate to fill his shoes and few avenues to find an answer to him being removed from the equation.

Also, between Jaric and Battier they have $15M coming off the books. What is Randolph's deal worth next season? I'm thinking significantly lower than the $18M he's making this season.

Also, I know this is old but I can't find anything to support your claim that they're losing money:

Not only do they still have scouts, but the Grizz are reportedly making a nice chunk of change from their woeful operation: “For that [team owner Michael Heisley] is unapologetic, especially given several other owners have privately sought his advice. ‘We’re definitely in the top third of the teams in the league (in terms of the bottom line),’ Heisley said. ‘It’s because we’ve watched our expenses and we have the support of a good, hard-core group of people. We’re going to survive no matter what. But we cannot compete salary-wise with places like Los Angeles and Cleveland. Some of my worst financial losses came during those (playoff) years. You can’t sustain that.’”

I know Stern came out a couple years ago and said half the league needed a loan to cover operation costs. I'm assuming based on this the Grizz weren't one of those teams. Recently he came out again and said half the league was losing money...

The Grizz are going to match anything Gasol is offered. They'd be crazy not to.

Apollo, the Grizzlies can't match a front-loaded contract between $11-12 m ($11+10+9+8+7 = $45m or $12+11+10+9+8 = $50 m because they are close to the luxury tax level (The 5 year contracts of $85 m and $45 m handed to Rudy Gay and Mike Conley respectively and the fact that Zach Randolph is due for a pay day puts Memphis Grizzlies in a tough position with the team barely making the playoffs each year imo).

They have $15M coming off the books just in two players. No way Zach Randolph is getting anything close to $18M/yr on an extension and so they will have space.

Right now, without Randolph's extension on the books they're coming in at $36M for next year. Let's say he gets what Boozer got and so it starts him out at $14M, that places them in at $50M for next year. That's well below a luxury tax threshold which may not even exist in after June 30th. That's $8M below the current salary cap and nearly $20M below the current luxury tax, which they're currently over by less than $1M. Also keep in mind that they don't have a 1st rounder this year and so there is no guaranteed contract to factor in there.

Also, I know this is old but I can't find anything to support your claim that they're losing money:Source: SlamOnline.com

They should have a cap number lower than this season..

I know Stern came out a couple years ago and said half the league needed a loan to cover operation costs. I'm assuming based on this the Grizz weren't one of those teams. Recently he came out again and said half the league was losing money...

Smushmush = wrong, Apollo=right. Next year the grizzlies are LUDICROUSLY FAR under the cap, let alone the luxury tax. They can absolutely re-sign Gasol if they want to. Front loading the contract will do exactly nothing.